Rand Paul to plunge into North Carolina Senate race

Tillis needs to eclipse 40 percent in the primary to win outright, and several recent polls have him on the cusp, making Paul’s move potentially a consequential one.
If Tillis falls short, he would face a two-month runoff, draining his resources ahead of the general election.

North Carolina Tea Party Candidates

Greg Brannon is the clear tea party supported candidate in North Carolina.
Paul endorsed Greg Brannon in October, but Brannon has hit a rough patch with legal problems in recent months and the senator hadn’t put his muscle behind the fellow physician since. Until now.

“I have decided today I’m going Monday to campaign for Greg Brannon in North Carolina,” Paul said in the Capitol Wednesday. “I think it’s pretty close there actually, and there’s a chance we can help him enough to push him over the top.”
“BIG NEWS!” Brannon later tweeted to promote the Charlotte rally with Paul.

The move by Senator Paul is the latest effort by 2016 presidential hopefuls to exert themselves in 2014 primary races at a time when tea party candidates are going strong. Most of the presumed 2016 candidates are either staying out of primary fights or taking a far more measured approach, calculating the risks of putting their name behind a candidate who could catch fire — or implode.